What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Betaine, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Saccharide Isomerate, Phenoxyethanol, Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium PCA, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
